1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to the field of telecommunications and, more particularly, to a remote receiver controlled through telephony signals.
2. Description of the Related Art
A demand exists for remotely controllable devices such as garage door openers and security gates. One method of remotely controlling a device involves sending telephone signals to a device through a telephony communication system. For example, breaches in home security systems can result in a telephone call being sent to a monitoring station resulting in police notification.
Most conventional telephony devices, such as a device that receives calls from the security system, require a telephony connection as well as a power source. Utilizing an external power source can result in substantial costs relating to the installation of the requisite power lines. While internal power sources, such as batteries, can provide power without the necessity connecting to a power grid, internal power sources can require periodic replacement resulting in high maintenance costs. Regardless of whether battery power or external line power is used, these power sources can represent a potential source of failure for a given system.
Another concern for remote devices triggered through telephone lines relates to security. Only authorized users should be able to trigger a given remote activation device. Conventional authorization mechanisms require that a connection be established between a calling device and a called device. Then the called device will require an access key or code before the calling device is granted access to portions of the secure system. Unfortunately, because the authorization occurs after a connection is established, an unauthorized user is provided with an opportunity to attack or “hack” a restricted remote device.